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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary
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10 random words out of 725 results

gong for

Definition: (textspeak) A Kongish code-mixing term meaning homework, which only Hong Kong local students can understand. Usage: E.g. Jo jor gong for mei ar? (做左功課未呀？） E.g. Nei mong gong for meh? (你忙功課咩？） E.g. Jo sai d gong for la! (做晒D功課喇！）Synonym: 功課Reference: https://hklanguage.home.blog/2019/11/16/the-use-of-transliteration-in-kongish/
2024-06-13

refer

Definition: A code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers use to recommend a candidate for a vacant position. Usage: E.g. 如果你識到朋友做呢行，可以refer佢比我地嗎？Synonym: 推薦, 介紹Reference: https://goop.ai/topic/2r3f/尋英文補習教學partner
2024-04-21

Ho

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term that is used as an adverb to emphasize the intensity of an adjective, which is similar to ‘very’ in English. Usage: E.g. Ho ging ah! (Very powerful) E.g. Ho ying ah! (Very good looking) E.g. Ho jeng ah! (Very good or awesome) E.g. Ho ho may! (Very delicious)Synonym: 好Reference: https://theculturetrip.com/asia/china/hong-kong/articles/12-phrases-you-need-to-know-before-you-visit-hong-kong#:~:text=An%2520alternative%2520to%2520“hou%2520ging,jeng”%2520if%2520something%2520is%2520awesome.
2024-04-21

dry

Definition: A code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to describe someone or something as dull and boring such as having no relationship, which definitely has nothing to do with 'dry dating' in native English. Usage: E.g. 我近排冇拖拍好dry呀。(I recently haven't been dating, so dry!) E.g. 唔好成日自己一個人咁dry啦。(Don't be always by yourself, so dry!)Synonym: 沒新鮮感，很無聊，枯燥乏味Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtwE7IA18CY&t=50s
2025-12-06

Eat Cha SIU

Definition: This is a Cantonese slang that refers to a situation where a player has a clear opportunity to score a point. The slangs origin comes from a volleyball game where a sports announcer said "Cha SIU" instead of the word "chance". Although the word came from a volleyball game initially, it's more widely used in badminton games. Usage: That was a total set up for a smash, total Cha SIU! Synonym: 食叉燒Reference: https://zolimacitymag.com/pop-cantonese-生舊叉燒好過生你-better-to-give-birth-to-char-siu-than-you/#:~:text=Sik6%20caa1%20siu,back%20into%20its%20own%20court.
2025-04-15

feel

Definition: A chic way of saying the word 'feel' in Cantonese, in order to avoid sounding old-fashioned. Usage: E.g. 晨早樓樓係到食薯片，好唔岩ｆｅｅｌ喎。(noun) E.g. 喂，你今日著成咁，好ＭＫｆｅｅｌ喎。 (noun) E.g. 我ｆｅｅｌ到佢對我有意思。(verb) E.g. 我對你已經冇哂ｆｅｅｌ喇。 (noun)Reference: https://holiday.presslogic.com/article/224449/港式-廣東話-中英夾雜-口語-香港人-搭lift-食lunch
2023-03-01

pool

Definition: A code-mixing term that refers to getting out of the singles' pool so that you are finally dating someone! Usage: E.g. 我平時咁宅，估唔到有一日會出pool。
2023-10-16

database

Definition: A code-mixing word that Hong Kongers love to use to refer to '資料庫' in the IT sector. Usage: E.g. 連得到個database未? 定係connect唔到呢?Synonym: 資料庫
2023-10-15

job hunting

Definition: A code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers use to refer to the activity of finding a job, which definitely sounds more fun, exciting and challenging than the Cantonese equivalent terms '求職' and '找工作'. Usage: E.g. A: 你搵到工嗎? B: 冇呀，我仲喺到job hunting。Synonym: 求職, 找工作Reference: https://www.reddit.com/r/HongKong/comments/1opsow8/job_hunting_socialising_in_hk/
2026-02-07

lol

Definition: Derived from the internet slang 'laugh out loud'. this is a cliche code-mixing term that has grown out of the textspeak medium into human speech. As opposed to 'lol' being such an overused term on the internet where the meaning is often not that literal, the term is used by westernised Hong Kongers to really mean laugh out loud. Usage: E.g. 睇完套戲真係lol左。(I really laughed out loud after watching the movie!)Synonym: 大聲笑, 撈
2025-11-07
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